Goodwill Industries International Respects a Woman’s Rights to Breastfeed

UPDATE: 02/27/2015

I want to personally apologize for recent events regarding how breastfeeding was handled by two Goodwill employees and express our concern for the nursing mother who was involved in this regrettable incident. The actions of these employees were completely inappropriate and each employee has been suspended.

While this event was totally unacceptable and not at all what Goodwill stands for, it has become a teachable moment to remind and reeducate all of our employees about the rights of nursing moms. Many of our own employees are nursing moms and we proudly support them when they are working.

I am concerned that this unfortunate situation will detract from the good work being done by our 122,000 Goodwill employees across North America helping to assist individuals and their families gain valuable job skills, employment and economic sustainability.

Goodwill deeply values the moms and the families we serve.

– Jim Gibbons, President and CEO

ORIGINAL STATEMENT: 02/26/2015

Goodwill Industries International respects and reinforces a woman’s right to breastfeed in public and private environments. We believe in the spirit and intent of the laws across the United States. We apologize for the unauthorized and unacceptable comments tweeted by our customer service representative. Every day, Goodwills work hard to create inclusive, friendly and welcoming environments for moms, families and all of our donors and shoppers.

I hope the girl who tweeted this lost her job. #sorrynotsorry She said the lady should not have took her kid shopping?! No you should have enough respect to have kept your mouth shut and let her feed her baby. If the baby would have been crying im sure she would have tweeted “this baby in my line crying and mom wont make it shut up.” Who are you to judge, did your mother feed you as a child? This is absurd and she is childish, and doesn’t deserve too keep her job. She needs to educated herself before she starts to BULLY anyone else. She didn’t even know the mom and got on the internet and cyber bullyed her. She needs to pay more attention to her job and life and not so much on others. I think she should have to appoligize directly……

Wow, I cant belive you handled the situation by reinforcing the idea that a mother should feed her baby in private under a blanket. As a nursing mother, I am very upset by your choices and lack of professionalism. Are you seriously not aware Of the breastfeeding laws in place to protect mothers and babies? I would really like to know what actions will be taken to prevent such harassment in the future. If you don’t want mothers to feed their babies in your store why can’t you offer a Lounge in your establishments so mothers don’t have to be shamed while shopping?

Thank you I did see where the tweeter apologized and then later caved under the pressure and started cussing. So in her defense she did apologize. The part that really stung is an adult that was in PR in charge of Tweets, sided with this immature person, and made Mother feel terrible. Now as a reminder not everyone can afford formula even the govt assistance is wanting to phase that out. And not everyone can afford a 300.00 breast pump. So this may be the only way the mother can feed child. I know that you read these comments and that you understand and thank you for seeing our side of things

I think this is a horrible way to help women across the nation normalize breastfeeding ! Especially since breast feeding is usually done by lower income women because formula is so expensive and you are going to shun her for doing what’s natural and health for her child! The employees need to be fired not suspended

I am glad you realize the mistake. Breastfeeding in public is legal in Oregon and hopefully the employee with receive some sensitivity training around this. Breastfeeding, not bottle feeding is the norm. Artificial milk for infants is harmful and is now the last choice when mothers are unable to breastfeed. Breastmilk, expressed breastmilk from mom, or breastmilk from another mother are preferable to formula for the health and safety of infants. Human milk for human babies!! It would be nice if Goodwill could make a donation to the non-profit NW Mother’s Milk Bank as an additional act of kindness in this situation. They are new and I am sure they could use the help.

Now this is how an apology should be writen. Much better than the last statement that came out, I’m assuming which was from the PR department. I hope this is truly from you and your heart Jim Gibbons!!

thank you for making it a teachable moment. Firing someone over an ignorant laps in judgement will only further that persons negative perception on breastfeeding that they will spread to others like disease. Helping people to understand the importance and benefits of exclusively and extended breastfeeding to the general population is very important. Facts such as if 90% of babies were exclusively Breast fed to 6 months then 911 deaths would be prevented each year and $13 billion would be saved in the US. (Pediatrics aap publications) http://m.pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2010/04/05/peds.2009-1616.short

You should also bring up to the employees in Oregon and other states that has laws like ours, that breastfeeding in public is protected by law. Anyone trying to interfere with a woman breastfeeding by trying to force them to stop or making them leave the area, is breaking the law, just not invading that persons privacy.